UIUC vs USC vs UW-M

<p>Hello. i need some help deciding which university to attend. I have been admitted to UIUC and USC and UW-M. I have been admitted for engineering in all three. Currently i intend on pursuing my Bachelors in chemical engineering. I also plan on doing business with engineering as a double degree. A degree in B.A towards management or finance is what i am looking at. Some help would be greatly appreciated as there is also very little time. UIUC is the engineering primark, USC is more for theatre and music, UW-M s more liberal artsy humanities especially. I got all the basics and rankings down... but your opinions seem to be much more insightful.</p>

<p>UW is more fun and in a better town than UI and its CE program is also better so advantage UW. UW vs USC comes down to what sort of college experience you want. UW's CE is better than USC. They all have good business programs for undergrads. Do they all allow a dual degree?</p>

<p>
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Currently i intend on pursuing my Bachelors in chemical engineering. I also plan on doing business with engineering as a double degree. A degree in B.A towards management or finance is what i am looking at.

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My opinion: focus on BS in chemical engineering then pursue an MBA after a few years of work experience. (My employer paid for my MBA).</p>

<p>If UW-Madison is the cheapest option, I'd choose it in a heartbeat.</p>

<p>I don't think you can do a ChE/Business double major at UWisc or UIUC. And I don't see how it would benefit your career to do so at the undergraduate level. I agree with UCBChemEGrad that the better option is to do a BS in ChE first and then a MBA later.</p>

<p>
[quote]
I got all the basics and rankings down

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Then I'm sure you know that Wisconsin, together with Minnesota, UCB and MIT are ranked in the top 5 of ChE for the past 30+ years.</p>

<p>I think Wisconsin looks good for u because of the ChemicalE program (which i know nothing about, but the poster above me seems to know) and also I've heard USC it just a really sketch campus (unsafe) though maybe u'd like it? </p>

<p>i would visit if there's time</p>

<p>My reason for doing business simultaneously with engineering was so i could have both degrees in four years. And UIUC does offer business and engineering as a dual degree. Although i am not too sure about Wisconsin Madison. I do not think they offer it. And is the USC engineering program as bad as they rank it, i e, 29th? Is the viterbi school really not comparable to the engineering schools of UIUC or UW?</p>

<p>^ USC is not an engineering powerhouse and does not have the reputation in chemical engineering like UW and UIUC. But, if you like the environment at USC better, that is more important.</p>

<p>You can do a second degree in engineering or business at UW but you pretty much need a fifth year unless you can do the first in three years. Due to the competition to get into business I'd do it first.</p>

<p><a href="http://www.wisc.edu/pubs/ug/07engineering/reg.html#sec%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.wisc.edu/pubs/ug/07engineering/reg.html#sec&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

<p>
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^ USC is not an engineering powerhouse

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</p>

<p>It depends on the field.</p>

<p>For Wisconsin:
It appears that you cannot do a double major in engineering and business -
"ADDITIONAL MAJOR
...Adding additional majors from colleges other than Letters and Science is not accepted. For example, majors such as art (School of Education) and forestry (Agricultural and Life Sciences) cannot be completed in conjunction with an engineering degree..."</p>

<p>You may, however, pursue a second bachelor degree from the College of Engineering -
"SECOND BACHELOR'S DEGREE
Persons with a bachelor of science or bachelor of arts degree from UW Madison...may, if eligible, pursue a second bachelor's degree from the College of Engineering."</p>

<p>But there is apparently no way you can complete both degrees in four years as you have to satisfy the following requirement for your second degree:
"The following graduate requirements must be met for the second bachelor's degree: Students must complete a minimum of 30 credits in residence, including 15 credits of work in the degree-granting department."</p>

<p>USC encourages double major. USC has good Business and Engineering. That said, I agree to save the study of business for graduate level(like an MBA). In a top MBA program, there are a lot of case studies/discussion, simulation trade-offs which I think is a much more valuable experience.</p>

<p>Sootz,
I'm not aware of UIUC offering a dual degree engineering & business program. The closest thing being the Technology & Management Program -</p>

<p>"The Hoeft Technology & Management Program is a course of study leading to a University Minor in which undergraduate engineering and business majors learn together in an integrated program without sacrificing disciplinary depth in their major fields of study."</p>

<p>Appreciate if you would cite your reference.</p>

<p>In general, it's real tough to complete dual degrees in engineering and business in 4 years if you are required to fulfill the full requirements of both majors.</p>

<p>More importantly, there is no career advantage (besides intellectual gratification) in getting a dual degree in engineering and business. You are better off getting a dual major/concentration in business specialization (e.g., accounting and finance).</p>

<p>That would make sense. You only need two years to get an MBA but you do have to work a few years first so you are 28 or so by the time you are done.</p>

<p>Like GoBlue said a dual degree will provide no career advantage. In looking for graduates to fill positions (especially for entry level jobs), employers want either engineering skills or business skills. Sure, it's nice to have both, but employers aren't going to pay you more because you have a dual BS degree.</p>

<p>Columbia_Student,
Appreciate if you would cite your reference on USC's dual degree program in engineering and business.</p>

<p>"Marshall offers unique joint degrees with three other programs at USC: Cinematic Arts, East-Asian Studies and International Relations."</p>

<p>There is no specially designed joint business-engineering programs.</p>

<p>I wrote USC encourages students to do double majors, that is different from offering a specially designed joint business-engineering programs . Please see the following link for Renaissance scholars. </p>

<p>USC</a> Renaissance Scholars</p>

<p>The Hoeft Technology & Management Program at UIUC is very competitive to get in, and it is considered really prestigious. It will virtually get you any job you want if you do get in to the program.</p>

<p>I searched through the UIUC website for dual degree programs for engineering and business but they do not offer any. What they do offer is a minor in business, which you have to apply for after earning a certain number of credits. Wisconsin doesn't give you any minors it seems like and a dual major is completely out of the question. One has to apply for the chemical engineering degree also so there is some form of risk involved. USC on the other hand offers a pretty good business minor and a bunch of other minors too that UIUC does not offer. (You can simply enroll for the minor, no risk involved). So kinda leaning towards USC at the moment, as business is pretty essential to me.</p>

<p>*risk involved in being admitted into the program even if you have been accepted in the engineering program. Guessing the risk is significant because the ChE program is one of the best in the nation</p>

<p>I'm debating between UIUC and UW-M myself, but for Computer Science. I know UIUC is ranked a few steps above UW-M for CS, but I'm thinking about the atmosphere and life in UC vs Madison. Is Madison much better?</p>